Woodland Municipal Code Art. 2 Administration

The City Manager or designated representative shall administer contracts authorized by this chapter.

(Prior code § 23C-2-1)

Except as otherwise provided by contracts authorized by this chapter, and subject to direction of the City Manager, the Director of Public Works or designated representative shall operate and maintain the utility service provided pursuant to this chapter.

(Prior code § 23C-2-2)

Subject to direction of the City Manager, the Director of Finance or designated representative shall be responsible for billing for utility service provided pursuant to this chapter.

(Prior code § 23C-2-3)

Designation of a representative by the Director of Finance or the Director of Public Works shall relieve neither the Director of Finance nor the Director of Public Works from ultimate responsibility for performing duties assigned by, and pursuant to, this chapter.

(Prior code § 23C-2-4)

For public health and sanitation purposes the City provides garbage and refuse service, yard refuse service, sewage service, and water service, which comprise separate administration units of a single public health program and accordingly, charges for providing utility services pursuant to this chapter may be set forth on, and collected as, a single utility bill for the public health program created and authorized by this chapter.

(Prior code § 23C-2-5)

A. Amount of Utility Service Bill. The amount of a consumer's utility service bill shall be determined as hereinafter provided by this chapter.

B. Person Billed for Utility Service. The billing for utility service shall go to the property owner unless the property owner specifies another person who occupies the premises and the finance officer (or another designated representative of the City), in his or her sole discretion, elects to bill the occupant of the premises rather than the property owner with the understanding that the property owner shall remain liable for all such utility service charges.

C. Frequency of Billing for Utility Service. Commercial accounts shall be billed every month for payment of utility service for the past month. Residential accounts shall be billed every month for advance payment of utility service for the next month.

D. Corrections to the Utility Service Bill. Reasonable opportunity shall be given to question the correctness of a utility service bill and when an error is shown to have been made, the finance officer or designated representative shall make necessary corrections.

E. Administrative Determination of Delinquency in Payment of a Utility Service Bill. When all or any part of a commercial account or a residential account is not paid for 30 days after mailing of a billing therefor, and no satisfactory explanation is given, as determined by the finance officer or his or her representative, such account shall be deemed delinquent until all past charges and penalties have been paid in full.

F. Notice of Delinquency. Upon administrative determination of delinquency in payment of a utility service bill, the consumer or occupant of the premises, whichever is appropriate, shall be sent written notice stating, at a minimum, that:

1. Utility service may be terminated based on the determination of delinquent payment but termination shall occur no sooner than 10 days from the date of mailing written notice thereof, and after providing any notice required by law prior to terminating service.

2. Failure to pay the utility service bill will result in late fees being assessed.

3. The City may enforce payment pursuant to certain provisions in the City Code, which shall be specified.

4. The telephone number and address of the utility billing office shall be set forth and a short explanation of the procedure for protesting or seeking correction of a utility service bill shall be included.

5. Those certain employees of the utility billing department designated to handle such protests and corrections shall be identified.

G. Decision to Use Enforcement Methods. When all past charges and penalties have not been paid in full within 10 days after mailing of written notice that such account has been determined to be delinquent and no satisfactory explanation for nonpayment is given, as determined by the finance officer or designated representative, payment of such delinquent account shall be enforced by pursuing the enforcement measures hereinafter set forth in Article 3 of this chapter.

(Prior code § 23C-2-6)

The City Council, by motion or resolution, may authorize the City Manager or designated representative to adopt regulations requiring deposits or the prepayment of charges in an amount not exceeding one year's charges either from consumers or occupants of premises receiving benefit of utility services, or both, whichever is appropriate; provided, however, that in case of nonpayment of all or part of a bill said deposits or prepaid charges shall be applied only insofar as necessary to liquidate the cumulative amount of such charges plus penalties and costs of collection.

(Prior code § 23C-2-7)

The City Council, by motion or resolution, may authorize the City Manager or designated representative to grant discounts in fixed percentages or amounts for prompt payment of utility service bills.

(Prior code § 23C-2-8)